The invention relates to a casement closure device for a door, in particular of switch cabinets or the like, with a housing that can be fixed to the door leaf or to the cabinet body, a key-operated lock cylinder arranged in the housing, and a locking tongue that can be rotated between an unlocking position and a locking position.
EP 0 504 144 B1 describes a casement closure device with the aforesaid, features. In one exemplary embodiment therein (FIG. 12), a lock cylinder for a key is arranged in the housing of the casement closure device, the housing to be fixed in a positive fit in an associated through-hole in the door. The lock cylinder is connected to a locking tongue attached to the end such that rotating the key inserted in the lock cylinder translates into rotating the locking tongue between its unlocking position and its locking position.
Such a casement closure device is associated with the disadvantage that the tightening torque that has to be applied via the lock cylinder, that is, by rotating the key, is not great enough to turn the locking tongue between its unlocking position and its locking position. If the door and the cabinet body are under opposing stress, there is a risk that the force that has to be applied to turn the locking tongue will cause the key to break off or will damage the lock cylinder. In addition, the casement closure device is not sufficiently secure against vandalism. That is, the entire casement closure device must be exchanged if the lock cylinder is intentionally destroyed or damaged such that the associated key can no longer be inserted therein.
The object of the invention is therefore to eliminate the aforesaid disadvantages in a casement closure device having the features cited in the foregoing and to make possible high tightening torque for actuating the locking tongue despite,using a lock cylinder for access.
This object is achieved, including advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention, from the contents of the patent claims that follow this specification.
The basic idea behind the invention is that the lock cylinder is uncoupled from the locking tongue, and is locked in the housing when the key is withdrawn and can be removed from the housing when the key is inserted and moved to the unlocking position, and in that the locking tongue mounted on the housing has an actuation opening for engaging, in a positive locking manner, an actuating means that can be inserted in a housing channel, said channel being free when the lock cylinder is removed from the housing. The invention is associated with the advantage that the lock cylinder only protects the casement closure device against unauthorized opening but is not used for actuating the locking tongue. That is, once the key is inserted and the unlocking position has been achieved, the entire lock cylinder can be rotated in the housing and removed from its positive-fit connection to the housing. Then a separate actuating means that engages in the actuation opening of the locking tongue arranged at the end of the housing can be inserted into the housing channel, which is now free, so that the separate actuating means rotates the locking tongue. Subsequently the lock cylinder can be re-inserted into the housing channel of the housing and locked therein. If the lock cylinder is destroyed, intentionally or unintentionally, the lock cylinder can be drilled out of the housing, whereupon the casement closure device can still be operated and only the lock cylinder then has to be replaced.
In accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the invention, for fixing the lock cylinder in the housing it is provided that the housing has a pin that projects into the housing channel and the lock cylinder has a groove that runs around an exterior circumferential segment and that has an axially extending groove extension for engaging the pin, the extension extending to the free end of the lock cylinder.
In accordance with the invention the lock cylinder is uncoupled from the locking tongue, so in accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the invention the locking tongue is fixed in a shell or sleeve that is mounted on the housing and that can be rotated relative to the housing between the locking position and the unlocking position of the locking tongue, whereby in a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention the sleeve can be embodied as a cap sleeve placed on the exterior of the housing at the rear.
For producing a positive fit connection that makes possible the required relative rotation of the cap sleeve bearing the locking tongue relative to the housing, in accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the invention it is provided that the housing has an exterior annular groove and in the wall of the cap sleeve is embodied two insertion channels running secant-wise for receiving a clamping spring that can be inserted into the cap sleeve and that radially engages with its spring legs the annular groove of the housing. This ensures that the connection is particularly simple to install and manage.
Also for simplifying assembly, in accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the invention the locking tongue is fixed in the cap sleeve in a positive fit and is held on the housing by the installation of the cap sleeve.
It can also be provided that the locking tongue has a member that projects to the housing and that engages in a recessed area that is embodied in the end of the housing and that fixes the angle of rotation for rotating the cap sleeve relative to the housing.